​Author: Keila Diaz, BSU student

I decided to do my interview with Michele Wein-Crelly, the owner of Michele’s Massage Studio, because she is an amazing massage therapist and deserves the attention. Michele has been a massage therapist since 2006 and she is great at what she does. I know this because I am one of her clients. Michele’s Massage Studio is located in a very quiet and chic room in Brockton, MA. She offers many different types of services such as Swedish massage, Deep tissue, Hot Stone, Reflexology, Body Polish, etc.
 
Q: Tell me about your business and why did you choose this line of business?
 
A: I’m a massage therapist and I like instant gratification, like being able to help people. So that was kind of the end result of it. Before that, I was doing manicures and pedicures and it evolved into massage. And then I started learning Reiki and Reflexology and it just turned into Massage Therapy which seemed like the perfect fit for me.
 
Q: When did it start and what year?
 
A: I became a manicurist in 1994. That’s pretty much when it started. I did that for several years. Then I moved up here from Florida. I worked in a couple of salons, then I got sick. I started learning reflexology and it helped. And that’s when the instant gratification started. And then I realized that this stuff helps people and people need to know about this. So I did reflexology for about 8 years and Reiki before I became a Massage therapist. I became a massage therapist in 2006.
 
Q: What was it that made you start this business?
A: I was working with Chiropractors doing reflexology and they kept on telling me that I need to become a massage therapist. So finally I said you’re right this is what I need to do.
 
Q: What was the toughest thing you went through when opening?
A: I think the toughest thing was having the confidence to say I can do this.
 
Q: What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
A: I think the people appreciated what I was doing and it was helping them and it just kept
growing and I kept meeting people and working with people and of course getting massages.
 
Q: If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
A: I think I would’ve invited more people in. It would’ve been nice to have more of a team, it’s
nice working alone but it would’ve been nice having other people working with me.
 
Q: What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
A: There’s a lot of competition out there. You just have to have a niche and you just have to keep on plugging away and don’t be disappointed about the down days because you’re going to have up days and that’s going to make up for the down days.
 
Q: If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it, why would you suggest they at least give you a try first? 
A: I’ve been in business for many years and I’ve learned all types of different techniques and when they call me they’re going to get me. They’re not going to get different people like at other places. 

Q: What makes you stand out?
A: I’m happy. I like what I do. When people come here they’re going to have a good laugh. I like people to be relaxed. I realized that in order to get a massage you have to learn how to relax. And sometimes laughing is a good thing.
 
Q: What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
A: I have a lot of referrals. So because I’ve been in business since 2006, a lot of people refer people. I have Facebook and Google, I also do a lot of internet things and some networking. Sometimes I pass out business cards wherever I go.
 
Q: Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc.) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
A: Oh absolutely! Yes, from ordering cards online to websites and social media.
 
Q: Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the
right tools?
A: I think I can probably do better with using more social media like Twitter and Instagram but sometimes I feel like I’m busy enough.
 
Q: On a regular day how many clients do you see?
A: Probably 3 or 4. 
 
Q: What’s your busiest season?
A: It’s hard to say because sometimes it’s right around tax season, sometimes around Valentine’s Day, but sometimes it’s November or December, people buying gift certificates, but I feel like I’ve stayed pretty steady during the year. I feel fortunate for that.
 
Q: If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
A: Pretty steady. Meeting more people and keeping the people I have.
 
Q: Are you happy the way the business is now?
A: Yes. I feel like it’s comfortable. I would love to have another person come in and work so I can do a little bit less. I’m getting older so I figure at some point I’m going to retire. So it would be nice having another person in here.
 
Q: Do you feel like you’re overworked or underworked?
A: I don’t feel overworked right now because I had an injury so I’ve been pacing myself. This is a very physical job so you do have to pace yourself even when you’re at your peak. You really have to be considerate of your health, your sleep and how you eat. When you have an injury, you realize how important it is to have all those factors in place.

Visit  Michele’s Massage Studio at: 244 Liberty Street Brockton, MA
 
Contact her via:
Email: solegood01@yahoo.com
Phone: 781-504-3443
Website: www.michelesmassagestudio.com
Facebook page: @michelesmassagestudioma
Twitter: @michelesmassage

​Author: Alexandra Powers, BSU student

​Q: Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business? 
A: I run a children’s gym where we teach beginner level gymnastics, as well as offer birthday parties, open gym times, vacation camp programs and a monthly movie night.  I was a competitive gymnast and coach when I was young and have always had a great love for both the sport and for kids.  
 
Q: Are you from this local area? 
A: I am originally from Long Island, NY. I have lived in Bridgewater, MA for 23 years where I raised my daughter with my husband.  
 
Q: When did you start your business? 
A: I opened Stardust Gym in October, 2008.
 
Q: What was it that made you want to start this business?  
A: I walked away from my love for gymnastics to pursue a professional career as a real estate paralegal.  I had always wanted to open my own gym and when my daughter was a teenager, I decided it was time to take the leap and do this for myself.  It was scary but the best career decision I ever made!
 
Q: What was the toughest thing you went through when opening?
A: Self-doubt was the toughest thing I went through. I didn’t know if people would come. I stuck to my beliefs of what kids and parents would want in a children’s gym and did extensive marketing in the beginning. The grand opening was a huge success and the parties took off right from the beginning but the gymnastics enrollment took a few years of perseverance and building a reputation. 
 
Q: What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
A: The positive feedback from parents and smiling faces from the children kept me going.  
 
Q: If you had to start over from day one what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge? 
A: I don’t think I would have done anything different. The mistakes I made were only minor and made me a better business owner.
 
Q: What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020? 
A: I think the toughest part about having a business in 2020 is continuing to grow the customer base to cover the constant rising costs and maintaining quality staff. Also keeping up to date with the latest marketing trends thru social media.  
 

​Q: If a customer was to choose between your business and three others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first?  What makes you stand out? 
A: We specialize on beginner level gymnastics and the size of the gym isn’t overwhelming for children. It’s easy for parents to see their child at all times and the gym is clean and safe. The parties are memorable for the children and easy for the parents. The staff is well trained and love working with the children. We get a lot of positive feedback about the gym and the staff and great reviews can be found on the internet.
 
Q: What is the number one way you currently bring in new customers? 
A: Word of mouth has always been our number one marketing tool. But we also have a good social media presence on Facebook and Instagram as well as an informative website and newsletter.
  
Q: If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be? 
A: I would like to see it continue to grow as is has in the past. I have no plans for any major changes in the business model because of my age as I plan to retire in 4 years.
 
Q: Would you increase or decrease the amount you personally tend to within the business? 
A: I have gradually decreased my hours at the gym recently doing just the behind the scenes work like marketing, accounting, supplies and payroll. I currently have a great staff to run the gymnastics program and only work a few hours during the week with most of my hours over the weekend. Most of my hours are now from home.  
 
Q: Finally, what is the best way for the readers to connect with your business and to take advantage of what your company has to offer? 
A: They can see what we have to offer and get a good feel for our business on our website, Facebook and Instagram. They can also sign up to receive our newsletters by email to keep up to date on what’s going on at our gym.  

​Visit Stardust Gym at:
​612 Plymouth St., Unit 3R, East Bridgewater, MA
 
Phone: 508-378-2223
Email: info@stardustgym.com
Website: www.stardustgym.com
Facebook:  @StardustGym
Instagram: @stardustgym1 

​Author: Matthew McGovern, BSU student

Q: So, let’s start with are you from this local area?
A: I am from Sharon, but I have lived in Bridgewater since 2010.
 
Q: Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business?
A: So I started in PT, but I wanted to be able to help patients after rehab gain their full confidence and athletic ability back, so I felt restricted in a sense. I went online and got my first personal training certification. From there I just wanted to acquire as much information as possible, so that lead me down the road of earning many more certifications. I fell in love with training and loved the ability to put a smile on other people’s faces as they got in shape. For me it was a way to do what I loved. So I went back to school at SNHU to earn myself a marketing degree so I could one day own my own business, and do what I loved each and every day.
 
Q: When did it start?  What Year?
A: November of 2018. I also did have a small training studio in Manchester, NH while I went back to school up there in 2015.
 
Q: What was it that made you want to start this business?
A:  I’ve always loved fitness/nutrition and turning that into a job was a dream come true, as I already mentioned. It’s something I have loved from a very young age and to take that knowledge and have the ability to share that knowledge was a real dream come true.
 
Q: What was the toughest thing you went through when opening?
A: Having enough confidence behind my marketing degree to open up for business. Using the right marketing tactics for growth, and keeping my business in a position that it is constantly growing, progressing, and moving forward.
 
 Q: What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
A: My clients. Every single day I have clients feeling better from working out with me, it’s the community that feels like home for my clients. The atmosphere of the constant positive energy is what inspires me to keep going.

Q: If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge? 
A: I would definitely put in more time leading up to the opening of the business. There would have been more focus and time for build up and hype before opening. I felt like maybe we rushed into things a little too quick without the proper marketing first installed.
 
Q: What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
A: Finding a bigger space. We are looking to move into a bigger studio, it does include more costs. Our challenge is to continue to have a sound business while upgrading in facilities.
 
Q: If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first?  What makes you stand out?
A: Atmosphere, close-knit community. Family orientated, small group exercise setting, so you get the one on one personal feel
 
Q: What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
A: Word of our mouth, referrals
 
Q: Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
A: Absolutely. Lots of advertising online and our platform off of zenplanner for automation. Social media pulls everything together like the glue or reissuance after word of mouth
 
Q: Do you feel that Internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the right tools?
A: I do. Automation. Used to email clients individual, now uses automations software to help make that more efficient.
 
Q: If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
A: New bigger location, offering new programs that we don’t offer yet. Open a new bar for snacks, and have a full time sports massage.
 
Q: Increase or decrease, step away and be more a manager, passive owner etc? Why? 
A: Reason for success is familiar faces. Comfort of knowing your name and face, while it is still in it’s small gym stages. As it becomes self-stainable in the future, I would like to step away a little more to work on marketing and management from a further point of view.

Visit Get Fit Gym at: 50 Central Square, Bridgewater, MA

Contact them via:
Phone: 508-659-5234
Website: thegetfitgym.com
Facebook: @getfitgymbridgewater
Instagram: @thegetfitgym

​Author: Jack Lovely, BSU student

​The Maha Yoga Center in Bridgewater MA Is the perfect place to go for anyone looking to relax and unwind, physically and mentally. The owner, Diane Lagadec, has been operating the Yoga Center since 1993, Diane built the first Studio herself alongside her husband, but since then the Yoga Center has relocated to an area a bit farther away from the hustle, bustle, and traffic found near the center of Bridgewater. I interviewed Diane about her business, and when I asked her what inspired her to start the business, she said “I just really wanted to share what we knew, because I know people are stressed, as a retired school teacher I know how important it is to share knowledge for the benefit of everyone”. I also asked Diane why she chose this line of business, and she said “I had been teaching yoga for years, and my husband and I realized we had friends that had skills like yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and tai chi, so we wanted to bring them all together to one spot”. Diane has made the Maha Yoga Center a staple in the Bridgewater community through her active community service and involvement, she has commited herself to the people of Bridgewater. Clearly the creation and upbringing of the Maha Yoga Center took a lot of willpower and hands on work, when I asked Diane what the toughest thing she went through while opening was, and what inspired her to persevere, she said “the hardest thing I experienced while getting started was a lack of help, I thought more people would join me when I started but It didn’t work out that way, also we have barely any money when we got started, we had to build the first studio ourselves”, Diane is truly a self-made and motivated business owner, and its apparent that a lack of money and support wasn’t enough to stop her from creating the successful business she has today. I asked Diane if there is anything she would change from day one knowing what she knows now, and she said “when you consider the fact that small businesses don’t usually last long, I’d say that I’m happy we are still standing and doing so well, there isn’t much id do differently because I’m so happy about the way everything worked out”, if Diane had made many missteps when she began creating her business, it probably wouldn’t be standing today, therefore, there isn’t much she would change from the beginning. I also asked Diane what the hardest part of having a business in 2020 is, and according to her  “The hardest part about owning a business in 2020 is the taxes, it seems like we work awfully hard and still have to give a lot away, but we have a great community and we have overcome many challenges”, Diane has found that small business owners encounter a large amount of taxes to go with their success, but she has been able to overcome this challenge with the support of the community. 

​The Maha Yoga Center separates itself from similar businesses through price and diversity of services offered, while surrounding yoga studios have single class prices ranging from $13 to $20, the Maha Yoga Center offers a more reasonable rate. When I asked Diane what separates her business from its competitors, she said “because we are very reasonable, our single class drop in rate is $10”, and absolutely no long term commitment is required, the management of the Maha Yoga Center wants to ensure that no one gets trapped in an inconvenient financial situation, a testament to its integrity as a small business. There is also a 10 class-card option for only $80, and private restorative yoga sessions for $55, one of Maha Yoga Centers’ best attributes is it commitment to affordability, because the people who work there don’t want to exclude anyone from what they have to offer.

When I asked Diane what the number one way she brings in new customers is, she said, “Word of mouth works the best, a business person once told me that advertising is essentially like throwing money out the front door, word of mouth and being active in the community is key, everyone who works here has to be an active part of the Bridgewater community and complete community service”, by having all Maha Yoga employees engage in community activities and service, Diane is making a statement, that to be a part of the Maha Yoga Center, is to be a part of the surrounding communities, and those community relationships helps her bring in new business. I also asked Diane if internet marketing has played a big part in the growth and development of the Maha Yoga Center, to which Diane replied, “The internet is a good tool, we have a web page and I send out a weekly information message to everyone who works here, it’s great for communication during snow storms, but in terms of marketing, I prefer word of mouth, not technology” Diane has found that her connection with the community has proven sufficient in terms of the marketing and growth of The Maha Yoga Center, and besides communication with employees and use of the Maha Centers web page, technology does not play a big part in her success. In response to her point of view on technology, I asked her if she believed that technology could play a bigger part in her business if she had the right tools, and she replied “No, I don’t think so, maybe if I was more technologically savvy I could make better posters, but that’s all I would do” Diane has successfully run the business the same way for a long time, and she currently sees no way that an increase in the amount of technology that she uses to run her business would benefit her, she finds that a strong relationship with the Bridgewater community is enough.

Diane’s response to my question about the role that technology will play in the future of her company, prompted me to ask where she sees her business going in the next six months to a year, and she replied, “I’d like to see the business still standing, I don’t feel the need to expand because I like our location, and I’ve seen many businesses expand too much and then collapse, also there is basically no traffic near our current location which is a huge advantage”, Diane doesn’t need to expand her business to be satisfied with the direction its heading in, as far as she is concerned, as long as the business is still standing and engaging with the community of Bridgewater, she is satisfied. Since Diane wants the business to continue on its current path for years to come, I asked her if over time she would like to increase or decrease her involvement with the business and become more of a passive owner, and she said, “I’d like to continue my current work level, I’m the one who does all the checks and handles the various aspects of the businesses so I’d like to do it until I can’t”, Diane currently has no intention of slowing down her involvement with her business, she would like to continue leading by example and handling as much of the workload as she can, for as long as she can.

​The Maha Yoga Center also offers an impressive amount of additional services, including a yoga teacher certification class, mediation classes, massage and bodywork treatments, concerts, and counselling sessions.  The Yoga teacher certification class includes 200 hours of information and training based around the anatomy, physiology, psychology and philosophy of yoga. The meditation classes include a meditative healing sound bath, which surrounds you with deep immersive and relaxing sounds. The massage and bodywork services include aromatherapy, reflexology, core stone massage therapy, and several other treatments focused on the ears, muscles, and spirit. Some upcoming concerts includes a solo acoustic guitar performer as well as a flute and poetry reading night, although varying musicians are brought in to perform different sets. The various types of counseling available includes individual, family, and couples counseling, as well as hypnosis, health, and wellness coaching. The well trained and fully licensed staff of the Maha Yoga Center share a passion for health and wellness, and they wish to share that passion with both the Bridgewater community, and anyone else who is willing to take a chance and walk through their front door. 

Visit Maha Yoga Center at 992 Bedford Street #5 in Bridgewater, MA, because as the owner says, “The best way for people to experience what we have to offer, would be to walk through the front door”.
 
Contact them via:
Telephone: 508-697-3273
Website: www.mahayogacenter.com
Facebook: @MahaYogaCenter

Author: Curtis Blake, BSU student

​Are you from the South Shore?
Yes, I grew up in Whitman, Massachusetts.
 
Why did you choose fitness as your business?
This building was a previous business before and later became his partner in the business. Then split the partnership and that is how Hanover Fitness was born. Kept the current building that is now Hanover Fitness.
 

​
How did you come up with the name Hanover Fitness?
I thought long and hard about it but, it kind of just was just we are in Hanover we are promoting fitness, bang. Hanover Fitness.
 
What year did you first open Hanover Fitness?
September 2010 or September of 2011.
 
What was the toughest thing you went through when first starting Hanover Fitness?
Running the business end of the business, it is not my area of expertise, I like to train people, I like to get fit, I like to talk about nutrition. Sometimes the bills come into the bin and the light company comes calling and says that you haven't paid your bill, that wasn't that high on my priority, not that the money didn't exist but the actual function of running the business. I took a backseat in the beginning and then I realized that if I didn't do that, I would not have a business. All of a sudden I am on my own and I have to decide do I listen to Comcast or Fios or try to get my bill down or make sure I pay the bill on time or should I have water bottles or have a flow water bubbler. All of those business decisions I had never handled before. I was a trainer, so that was the difficult part of starting. Now that it has been 9 or 10 years it is pretty seamless. I got in under control. 

What is the toughest part of having a business in 2020?
I think business, in general, is always the toughest part, bringing in new customers there is always going to be attrition. It has been proven over the years, my membership, not training, my membership has always remained almost constant, but I am willing to bet that from the beginning that 10% of the original people are even here. The revenue has remained the same because for every customer I add I get another customer that says I don't want to be a member here anymore. Keeping the membership and training is kind of a sales business where people come and go if you don't have someone to train or you don't have someone who comes to do a workout you are out of business. I have been very lucky with my personal training clients over the years they are very consistent. I haven't had to try and mine for new business. Occasionally, I will have a client refer them to me and that is how it has kind of always been. Looking for new people, in general, is what the biggest problem is.
 
What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
Referrals, very few people walk in off of the street. Many people are a friend of a friend or someone I train lost 40 pounds and ask what the heck have you been doing? I see Leo at Hanover Fitness, and they come in. The vast business of my business is referrals. Most of my new business is college-aged kids and they tell their friends they come to Hanover Fitness. We are the anti YMCA. We don't have a pool, or a spa, no babysitting no sauna, no steam. So, when people want to come to lift weights their friends say come to Hanover Fitness, we can press the code at any time and lift whenever we want.
 
Has a website or social media played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
The website didn't work out because I didn't maintain it. It would have an outdated Zumba schedule. I decided after I hit the 3-year domain to stop using the website. I have a personal Facebook page that I will put anything on there. There is a Hanover Fitness Facebook page, but it is run by another trainer, I rarely post on the Hanover Fitness Facebook page. I am kind of a dinosaur when it comes to social media. It would probably be very beneficial but in this business, if I had a bunch of memberships here, I have to keep a balance. Student membership is $25 a month and I want to strike a fine line between the number of memberships I give out versus the number of personal training clients I have. Depending on who the trainer is it ranges from $40-50 per hour. We have a couple of powerlifters here and I thinking of having a separate area for them so they can be able to use chalk and have their area to lift.
 
If you were to look 6 months to a year into the future where do you see your business?
Probably exactly where it has been for the last 9 years, this business is very cyclical because with personal training people have to physically be here. If you are collecting memberships on the 15th of each month. Planet Fitness' model lets sign them up for $10 a month and pray they never come. With personal training, if they don't come, we don't get paid. With school vacations and holidays, personal training drops off. It is a bell curve above the line and a bell curve below the line. Over the year, it gets to the line. 

Visit Hanover Fitness at 33 Rockland Street #4 in Hanover, MA
 
Contact via:
Telephone: 781-829-0088
Email: LeoStrangis@Gmail.com
Facebook:  Hanover Fitness and Training Center

​Author: Christina Antoine, BSU student

​I recently had the pleasure of interviewing a business in my city, where I am somewhat of a regular. It is called Empower Nutrition and what this business does is pretty self-explanatory. It empowers its customers to take the necessary steps to a healthier, more nutritious life. They serve delicious teas and protein shakes and they are the first one in the city to offer these services. They also offer delicious protein donuts on Wednesdays and host community events like positive workshops and transformation challenges especially for the guests who want to transform their bodies and feel better about themselves. The goal is everyone leaving Empower Nutrition with smiles on their faces. Speaking for myself, it has worked.
 
Francois and Iraimi Diatta are the young Brockton couple who started this business back in late October 2019. Working as online fitness coaches and visiting nutrition clubs gave them the motivation to open the very first nutrition club in Brockton. After having a delicious Peach Ring sweet tea, I had the amazing opportunity to interview them after hours. Here’s a piece of our interview:
 
Q- So, let’s start with are you from this local area?
A- Yes
 
Q- Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business? What made you want to start it?
 A- We chose this business because first, it’s something that we’re passionate about. Because we really value health, fitness, and just being healthy. For 5 years, we’ve been health coaches online so running transformation challenges online and we used to visit smoothie shops like this and we just got inspired. We said “Hey, why not? Let’s do this in Brockton” because we noticed that people were really focused on getting healthy in Brockton but they didn’t have an option to healthy fast food. And this location, right here, it connects to a lot of different cities and a lot of people commute down this street.
 
Q- When did it start?  What Year?
A- We started at the end of October of 2019 so October 26th. 
 
Q- What was the toughest thing you went through when opening?
A- The toughest was dealing with the city and working with City Hall and Board of Health to get approval and get everything done for our business and getting established.
 
Q- What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
A- I would say that as a young couple, we already sacrificed a lot, we already signed the lease, and whether the process was easy or not, we would have to stay here. At some point, yes, we wanted to quit mentally, but we were like “no” because anything worth having is not easy. At some point, something deep inside of us was like “You guys got this! Keep going! Keep going!” because we sacrificed a lot of things. 
 
And we made a lifestyle change. We moved out of our apartment, we moved in with my parents, we were able to save and be even closer to the smoothie shop. We’re right up the street, 5 minutes away.

Q- What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
A- The toughest part, I would say, is trying to have something for everybody. We know that what we offer is not for everybody. There’s a specific customer that we’re going to be attracting but we also found that we’re attracting customers that we would never think would come and consume our smoothies and our teas and those are the ones that have been consistent since day 1, the ones we wouldn’t think. What I mean by appealing to everybody is that some people have certain allergies so yes, we can serve people with a gluten allergy because 90% of our products are gluten-free. Yes, we can help anybody with peanut allergies but some people have specific allergies like some people are allergic to biotin. People have certain taste buds and just want the fruits, and we, of course, recommend them to the juice mill and things like that. I would say that.
 
The other thing is that it’s kind of heartbreaking to run into other young couples who say “oh we had the same idea” but something is blocking them from going forward, and it’s kind of heartbreaking. 
 
Q- If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first?  What makes you stand out?
 A- What makes ours stand out is just how we treat and focus on our customers. We really love all of our customers. We try our best. Everyday, we wake up, we work on ourselves so we can pour into our customers and if they give us a chance, they will know that we gave them the best of the best and we gave them love. And we’re always focused to know more about our customers than we know about them because it’s all about them. So they’ll definitely feel at home when they come here.
 
We’re working to inspire. It’s non- negotiable. We need to keep going.
 
Q- What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
 A- Our number 1 way, I would say, is our customer service. Word of mouth is powerful. Going back to us focusing on our customers and giving them love, one of the things we hear repeatedly is people saying “Yes your smoothies and your teas taste great but the things that people say about you is amazing.” So we know that because of the customer service, that’s what’s sparking word of mouth and getting people to tell a friend, tell a friend. And of course there’s social media. With our customer service, it shows on social media because of what customers are saying so that’s how we literally go viral.
 
I would add that her smile is very attractive *laughs* and I would add that we are genuine people, we are real. I am not going to fake and act like someone I am not. 
 
Q- Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
A- Yes! Oh my God, especially because consumers will buy what they see. What we noticed a lot is when we post our “Shake of the Day” or “Shake of the Week”, people will bring in their phone and say “I want this.” Even from the smoothies we made last year! I’m like “Oh that’s old! That’s Christmas cookie! We don’t make that anymore because that’s part of the Christmas menu!” It plays a big part of what we do. Our website is currently being built so we have our nutrition facts on our posts so people can know what’s in their food and so I feel like they’ll know everything about us through social media.
 
Q- Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the
right tools?
A- Yes, especially with ads. What I did on January 1st, was make our newspaper article an ad because it’s a new year and everyone is trying to get healthy. Everyone in Brockton should know that they have a nutrition smoothie shop and they can come here and they have to struggle to make shakes at home or drive 45 minutes to Planet Smoothie. So I placed an ad and it has reached 18,000 people and it has over 450 shares. Even organically, it does well. But I know with the right strategy like ads, it could reach more people because there’s still a lot of people who don't know about us and there’s over 90,000 people in Brockton. We get a lot of new people every day who never knew about us.
 
Q- If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
 A- With a second location. Because we cater to specific types of people here in this area but we know that other parts of Brockton, like for example, downtown, downtown is more of the working class people and I know we would be able to serve a lot of them. Especially since a lot of people come to Brockton to work. I know the impact that our smoothie shop already had on Brockton and everybody is getting healthy and it’s amazing.

With all that being said, what are you waiting for? Stop by Empower Nutrition and tell them Christina sent you there! 

Visit Empower Nutrition at:
           828 Crescent St, Brockton, MA. 

You can reach them on social media:
Facebook page: EmpowerNutrition508
Instagram: @empowernutritionma


Their business hours are:
6 AM to 7 PM Monday thru Thursday,
Friday 6AM to 6 PM,
Saturday 8 AM to 5 PM and
Sunday 8 AM to 1 PM. ​

Author: Brendan Sullivan, BSU student

Why Encompass Health Rehab of Braintree?
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Braintree is extremely committed to providing care above and beyond expectations.  Physical Health and well-being should be a top priority in everyone’s lives.  Most health insurance plans such as Medicare and Medicaid cover the cost in full or part.  Encompass Health in Braintree is a company that will always make ethics a priority over profit.  “Not only do we closely follow CMS regulations, but we also have to provide the best care possible to every patient” (Kimberly Van Daley).  Your recovery will be in the hands of qualified and highly motivated professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of their patients.  To exemplify how motivated these professionals are to their patients’ success, they host an annual “Patient Recognition Dinner” for former patients to celebrate their success.  “It is the most, rewarding, emotional night.  They all speak about how much we mean to them and how much we have touched their lives” (Kimberly Van Daley).  Hopefully that paints the picture to how emotionally devoted this company is to their careers.
 
What is Encompass Health Rehab of Braintree?
They are located at 250 Pond Street in Braintree, MA and provide hours 7 days a week.  They are even open on holidays from noon-8pm!  They are an acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital that also provide outpatient services.  The departments of assistance Encompass Health offers are physical, speech, and occupational therapists, rehabilitation physicians, rehabilitation nurses, case managers, dietitians to name a few.  Encompass Health of Braintree is proud to yield outcomes well above the national standard.

What is the culture like?
The culture at Encompass Health in Braintree is very consistent throughout the hospital.  It can be summed up easily through the company’s mission statement.  “At Encompass Health, we are committed to delivering the highest quality care to our patients. ... Our clinical collaboration and cutting-edge treatments ensure patients receive the best care for their needs at all times. We're proud to say our approach helps patients achieve better outcomes.”  At Encompass, the patients come first before everything else and the staff apply these morals in their everyday operations.  A visit to Encompass Health is like a visit to that long-lost family you never knew you had.  The staff are intrinsically motivated in providing great care and are brought great satisfaction contributing to successful rehabilitation.  Director of Therapy Operations Kimberly Van Daley has several heart-warming stories where staff went the extra mile out of the kindness of their hearts outside their required job description.  Examples include delivering equipment to patient’s homes, staying late to meet with concerned family members, and following up on patients long after their rehab has been completed.  The relationships you will build at Encompass are incomparable to other hospitals in the area.  Their doors are always open to help in any way they possibly can!
 
Amenities of the Hospital
The amenities at Braintree Hospital will truly enhance your visits and overall experience.  Along with their advanced therapeutic technologies, they also provide televisions, free WiFi, and telephones for your everyday use.  They are very accommodating with anything you may need to assist your recovery process with things such as interpreter services, Spanish translators, support groups, and available tours.  If you are unable to easily get out of the house to see if Encompass Health Braintree Hospital, take the virtual tour on their website.  Their FaceBook page has content such as patient reviews, informational posts and videos, and upcoming events.  The next time you are in need of high-quality care, are you going to visit Encompass Health of Braintree and become another one of the business’ many success stories?

​Encompass Health Braintree Hospital is located at 250 Pond Street, Braintree, MA

Contact them via: 
Phone: 781-348-2500
Website: encompasshealth.com/braintreerehab
Facebook: @EncompassHealthBraintree

​Author: Ryan LaPaglia, BSU student

I sat down & interviewed with Maxwell Ditondo, a South Shore native born and bred on the baseball fields of Marshfield. Highly recruited out of High School as a Center Fielder for the graduating class of 2012; Max joined the Franklin Pierce Ravens where he would go onto to earn himself many titles & accolades. He graduated from Franklin Pierce in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance.
 
As Max was achieving these milestones throughout the years, both him & his father, Frank Ditondo (Co-Owner), remained very active in the south shore baseball community. In 2007, Frank opened the doors for ‘BaseballPlus’, a local baseball/softball facility on Rt 139 in Marshfield. The facility was on old garage warehouse that was modified into a training powerhouse for some of the best local talent. Equipped with five batting cages, spacious turf, & some of the best training technology for baseball/softball at the time; ‘BaseballPlus’, with the help of the overwhelming support of the community that surrounded them, would outgrow itself and adapt over the years to become known now as Atlantic Sports Performance out of Hanover, MA.
 
Frank was the true pioneer behind the business model and the financial capital to execute it, seeing how Max was just in 8th grade in 2007. Frank started this business out of true passion for baseball & his family. It was a way for Frank to be closer to his family & spread the love for the game. He accomplished both overtime & was eventually able to share the business within the family. Max became a co-owner of the Atlantic Sports Performance in 2016 and has helped the business grow even more today.
 
Since Max has Joined, Atlantic Sports Performance has moved to a much larger facility in Hanover. What was once the home of Building 19’s furniture section, now sits a two story 20,000 sq./ft elite level sports performance training facility that offers hybrid strength & conditioning training across multiple sports.

What ways have you had to adapt your business in recent years to stay competitive in your market?
“We are in a market that’s rapidly evolving, there is always new studies and information on health and fitness that comes out, so we are constantly learning as we go and implanting some of those best health and training practices into our programs. We are constantly updating are programs to fit the personal needs of our athletes. We understand every individual is different and we believe we have the most up-to date and best training techniques in our programs. We also implemented a strong online presence and created and very useful interactive app. These are two tools that have helped push our business forward and stay relevant. Having the app has been huge. We are able to interact with clients from anywhere and closely monitor their progress in our programs. The analytics that we receive because of this technology helps us give elite level feed back to our clients. Another thing would be our equipment. We have updated our facilities tremendously and invested in the best lifting and training technology in the field today.”
 
What has been the most exciting part of running a business?
“Probably just coming to work everyday and being inside a gym is the best. To see others grow around me, only pushes myself to grow both personally and professionally. Being surrounded by something I love everyday is just a blessing and its exciting everyday to come in here and pass on the knowledge I have to these guys and see results.”
 
What is the toughest part about running a business in 2020?
“I guess the toughest part would just be overall running the business. Making sure everything is scheduled correctly, making sure we are adapting our programs to our clients needs, keeping an eye on finances... stuff like that. I don’t necessarily find anything tough; it certainly keeps me busy though”
 
If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first?  What makes you stand out?
“Why they should invest in us and because we will invest in you. We personalize & tailor our programs to your goals as an athlete. We have elite level training where you are pushed to you highest potential by certified professionals, and some actual professional athletes in the MLB. We create an atmosphere that leaves you wanting more.”
 
What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
“At the moment, mostly word of mouth and Facebook/Instagram. Being local and having been established in the baseball community around here for quite sometime now we find ourselves having clients bringing in friends directly or reaching out to us through Facebook/Instagram. We don’t do too much advertising directly online because we have a healthy flow of happy and recurring clients and we have are happy with the size of our business right now.”
 
If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
“So we are actually implanting a new sport into our training facility on the second floor. We just recently installed wrestling mats and are going to start implementing some of the training techniques in our program. So it would be cool to see more wrestlers come to us for training within the next year. I think we can offer them elite level training overtime and it would help our business grow even more. Within the next year I just hope we are in a healthy place as a business with loyal clients who believe just as much as we do in what we do.”

Visit Atlantic Sports Performance at:
389 Columbia Road, Suite 25, Hanover, MA
 
Contact them via:
​
Email: info@atlanticperformancetraining.com
Telephone: 781-837-4263
​Website: www.atlanticsportsperformancetraining.com
Facebook: @atlanticsportsperformance
Instagram: @atlanticsportsperformance
                    @maxsgainzpage

​Author: Yanibel Payamps, BSU student

​CrossFit Bridgewater as stated in the name, is in fact a CrossFit gym; although it is considered a fitness business, much of the work done here revolves around relationships. The secret to CrossFit is that although people first come in for the fitness aspect, it is truly a coverup for a way to make connections with other individuals. Sonia, the owner, and one of the main coaches in this facility, bases her decision making of the business around the different personalities and perspectives that everyone brings. One of the things about this type of business is that all sorts of people from all over town can find interest in fitness. Bringing those people together in a way they can find a common ground is the hardest, but also most rewarding part of the company.  So, one of the things to keep in mind is that it may be easy for people to quit activities, but it’s harder for them to quit relationships.
 
 In the fitness world word of mouth is huge! When current clients get excited about how their life, body, and mind are continually changing they can’t help but brag about it. They walk out of class with a euphoric mindset, feeling accomplish about what they have just overcome, whether it's flipping tires or climbing up a rope, every day holds a new adventure. 

​CrossFit Bridgewater takes pride in their work, which is reflected their mission statement which states:
​
“Our Mission is to be a welcoming family that inspires through connection and demonstration of our core value on a daily basis. We will strive to grow as individuals but more importantly as a community, finding ways to give back and making sure everyone feels appreciated and loved. Together we will fortify our bodies and minds inside this place so we may enjoy out journey through life with integrity, grit, and compassion.”
 
Sonia has a strong background in CrossFit, and Page has business knowledge, and together they make a great team, in creating an all-inclusive gym. As soon as you walk into the a room, it doesn’t take long to feel the passion felt  throughout the gym,  and no matter who you are or where you are from, you can’t help but feel like a big part of this movement. These ladies always keep three important factors as an integral part of their day: integrity -pushing them to do the right thing no matter what; grit - encouraging and allowing them to accept challenges for growth with a smile on their faces, giving their best while never complaining; and compassion by remembering everyone is fighting a battle we may know nothing about, Sonia and Paula keep their minds and heart open. 

Visit CrossFit Bridgewater at 620 Bedford Street, Bridgewater MA
Contact them via:
Telephone: (508) 505-6643
Website: Crossfitbridgewater.com
Facebook Page: @BridgewaterCROSSFIT
Instagram: Crossfitbridgewater